Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Christmas Movie List #3

Looking forward to Christmas? Need something to boost that festive feeling as you decorate your tree and home? Check out this movie list...


1) It's A Wonderful Life

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his...

Director: Frank Capra
Writers: Frances Goodrich (screenplay), Albert Hackett(screenplay), 4 more credits »
Stars: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1946


2) A Christmas Carol

On Christmas Eve, an old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the spirit of his former partner, Jacob Marley. The deceased partner was in his lifetime as mean and miserly as Scrooge is now and he warns him to change his ways or face the consequences in the afterlife. Scrooge dismisses the apparition but the first of the three ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas Past, visits as promised. Scrooge sees those events in his past life, both happy and sad, that forged his character. The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows him how many currently celebrate Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas yet to Come shows him how he will be remembered once he is gone. To his delight, the spirits complete their visits in one night giving him the opportunity to mend his ways.

Director: Edwin L. Marin
Writers: Charles Dickens, Hugo Butler (screen play)
Stars: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1938


3) Babes In Toyland

Tom the Piper's Son is about to marry Mary Quite Contrary. On the eve of their wedding, evil miser Barnaby hires two henchmen to drown Tom and steal Mary's sheep, cared for by Little Bo Peep, thus depriving Mary and the children she lives with of their livelihood, forcing her to marry Barnaby. The sheep are stolen, but Gonzorgo and Roderigo, Barnaby's henchmen, double-cross him by selling Tom to a band of gypsies instead, leaving Tom with the opportunity to escape and make his way with Mary, Bo-Peep, and other Mother Goose characters to Toyland.

Director: Jack Donohue
Writers: Glen MacDonough (operetta), Ward Kimball(screenplay), 3 more credits »
Stars: Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, Annette Funicello |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1961


4) Scrooged

Frank Cross runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Frank's childhood wasn't a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn't really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realises he must change.

Director: Richard Donner
Writers: Mitch Glazer, Michael O'Donoghue, 1 more credit »
Stars: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1988


5) Mixed Nuts

Philip runs a crisis hotline with Catherine and Mrs Munchnik. That's the easy part, now it gets tricky... Stanley loves evicting people and he evicts Philip. Philip loves helping people and he is loved by Catherine. Catherine is loved by Louie who loves writing songs. Chris loves dancing to songs and loves to wear large dresses. Gracie also loves to wear large dresses because she's pregnant. She loves the baby's father, Felix, who loves to paint. That just leaves Mrs. Munchnik who hasn't been loved by anybody in a very long time.

Director: Nora Ephron
Writers: Nora Ephron (screenplay), Delia Ephron(screenplay)
Stars: Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Robert Klein |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1994


6) The Little Drummer Boy

Animated film version of the legendary song of a boy who lets out all his frustrations on a drum, little knowing how significant this drum will be in the birth of the newborn Jesus.

Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr., 1 more credit »
Writer: Romeo Muller
Stars: José Ferrer, Paul Frees, June Foray |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1968


7) White Christmas

Having left the Army following W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, as the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General.

Director: Michael Curtiz
Writers: Norman Krasna (written for the screen by),Norman Panama (written for the screen by), 1 more credit »
Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney |See full cast and crew »
Released: 1954


8) How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Inside a snowflake exists the magical land of Whoville. In Whoville, live the Whos, an almost mutated sort of munchkinlike people. All the Whos love Christmas, yet just outside of their beloved Whoville lives the Grinch. The Grinch is a nasty creature that hates Christmas, and plots to steal it away from the Whos which he equally abhors. Yet a small child, Cindy Lou Who, decides to try befriend the Grinch.

Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Dr. Seuss (book), Jeffrey Price (screenplay), 1 more credit »
Stars: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Kelley |See full cast and crew »
Released: 2000


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